Suppliers highlighted during this year’s program represent the grocery and wine categories.

Black Heritage Month is observed annually in February. It is a time to celebrate and recognize the history, culture and contributions of African-Americans.

Diversity and inclusion are key parts of Kroger’s core values. As the company continues to expand, it is committed to ensuring that the diversity of America’s population is reflected in its business operations and associate talent. Kroger has an African-American associate resource group and is a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable. Kroger was named one of the top eight U.S. corporations for inclusion by OMINKAL in 2017. The company has also been recognized by Black Enterprise magazine for its diversity and inclusion programs.

Kroger recently announced Monica Garnes, president of the company’s Fry’s division, as its first African-American leader for an operating market. Fry’s is headquartered in Tolleson, Arizona, and the company operates 123 stores and employs more than 22,000 associates.